The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-05-14


recognized the vit ~ and power of
Christianity, neutrI Ted as it has been
by the dogmas and raditions of men.
Their work has bee that of unveiling.
They have been ay be what effect the
unveiling OF statu has upon the nat
ural eye. Their tI>ught has been, let
the web woven vii Che warp and woof
Of false theology Partially obscuring
the glory of the "a /pel and its author
be removed, and 6lld not Christian
ity receive an ad<lerative impulse,
bringing forward Ne time when sail
shall know the II (" whom to know
Alright is life ete1 al? Though Uni
versalism like Bd lehem, Ephratah,
the least among \ 8 thousands of Ju-
dab, numbers few pmpared with some
other den0minatidB 81; these, compared
with the two hun red millions of the
church of Rome, 3 a people not very
numerous, and mi Resty would forbid
boasting as to nuI bers. Some things
defy the line as edium of measure
men and numbers mode of calcula-
tion. My paper " not allow of show
ing a 1.-THE Of tll work done by the
! Universalist chu3h. In a modified
sense their words i've gone out into all
the world. Theix<work is seen in the
churches from wl<nce invectives have
been hurled at 5hem. Their better
interpretations ofzEcripture are enun-
ciated from hundE Eeds of pulpits, and
could their hearer know that Univers-
salism is largely Ne creditor for them,
much prejudice WIuld be removed.
In closing my aper 1 wish to con-
trast the past andpresent of orthodoxy
on one point. have before me Bos-
TOMS "Fourfold 81 tte," body Of Divin-
| ity, the 18th edifl@n published in 1771,
carefully revisedz from which I will
presently quote. When Gods impair
tial power and I've was begun to be
preached in Nj England, Boston's
views of the los or damned" as he
called them, was he generally accepted
belief of most achurches. Also his
manner of quotabg Scripture. The
contrast shows tls work of the larger
hope. Treating6f sensible punish
ments in hell he Ays: 'sGod always acts
in peculiar WSb becoming his own
| Infinite greatness neither for or against
his creature Id therefore as the
| things he has p8pared for them that
love him, are eat and good beyond
expression or cQ1eeption /; so one may
conclude that e things he has pre-
pared agaiIlst ke who hate him are
great and terrible beyond what men
can either say or think of them. The
pile of Tophet is fire and much wood,
the Goals Of fire are Goals of juniper, a
kind of wood which set on fire burns
most iercely. (Ps cxx. A. And the breath
of the Lord like stream of birthstone
doth kindle it. ia. Xxx. 49, Fire is
more or less violent, according to the
matter of it, and the breath by which
it is blown; what heart can fully con-
ceive the horrors of Goals of juniper
blown up with the breath of the Lord.
Nay, God himself will be consuming
fire, (Deut. iv. 2i) to the damned; in
timately present as devouring fire in
their souls and bodies. 1t is fearful
thing to fall into fire or to be shut up
in fiery furnace on earth; but the
terror of these evanisheth, when we
consider how fearful it is to fall into
the hands of the living God which is
the lot of the damned for who shall
dwell with the devouring fire? Who
shall dwell with everlasting burnings ?"
lisa. xxxiii.)
Not an orthodox commentator of the
present day would risk his reputation
as a scholar, and say that any one of
these passages quoted by this eminent
Puritan theologian, had any reference
whatever to the hell of the creed. About
two years ago, Dr. Cuyler quoted the
words from Isaiah, saying, the ''consum-
ing fire of God-the everlasting burn
ings," was to burn out the dross, purify
the hearts of his people. Who shall
dwell with the devouring fire !? Who
among us shall dwell with everlasting
burnings? The following verse an
swers; HE that walketh uprightly;
he that despiseth the gain of oppres-
sions, that shaketh his hands from the
holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears
from hearing of blood, and shutteth his
eyes from seeing evil"
These thoughts 1 have presented as
opinions, and as things appear to me.
1 would not judge lest l be judged.
Not too well acquainted with motives
that come to myself, how little do 1
know about motives that induce to the
words and actions Of others. But this,
every one, but especially professed
disciple of Christ, ought to be careful
about, to wit, not let the roots of Bit
terness spring up to trouble" Heb.
xii. 15) and so poison the affections.
Is it not suggestive that there are three
| hard places in science, the origin of mat